Boiling Bamboo?

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terrabamboo
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Boiling Bamboo?

Post by terrabamboo »

Anyone have any research/links/experience on this topic?

I am making something similar in size to flutes. And the bamboo is cracking in dry climates.

I am curious if this would help stabilize the bamboo from cracking in the future if I do this?
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Re: Boiling Bamboo?

Post by jd. »

While I've never read of boiling bamboo, I speculate this method would show some benefit for heat treating bamboo that has the nodes drilled out. However, you may have an easier time reaching a desired temperature using steam or another method of heating.

For example, a maker of bamboo rods wrote about increasing the degree a bamboo could bend before breaking by oven heating the bamboo to around 300 °F for an hour.

To boil water near 300 °F you'd have to increase the pressure several atmospheres, adding about 60 psi. For comparison a typical home kitchen pressure cooker only adds another 15 psi to atmospheric pressure.

Out of curiosity, where did you come across boiling for heat treatment of bamboo?
The only bamboo I've boiled is the edible kind. :D
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Re: Boiling Bamboo?

Post by dependable »

An alternative to boiling large pieces might be a 'steam box' which was/is used in wood working production when wanting to moist heat a wood product for bending.

The application I have seen it used in is bending ribs and other structural components in traditionally built wooden boats.

A basic set up would be a heat source, some water to boiling off with steam piped into box(the ones I have seen were made of plywood) with part to be bended in the box.

Probably could look some up on a wooden boat forum.
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terrabamboo
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Re: Boiling Bamboo?

Post by terrabamboo »

No bending in this project.

Just trying to "stabilize" the piece of bamboo (one node in-tact, -not- drilled out). Think of a flower vase made from bamboo. What is happening is:

dry bamboo to a MC of 8% over several weeks -> in Mississippi climate it comes back to around 20% MC -> then it ships to Denver, CO and it cracks in a week because it dries out too quickly.

also, I do not want to use a sealer.


I got the idea to boil as this is what bamboo flooring manufacturers do.
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Re: Boiling Bamboo?

Post by T9D »

You could try vacuum sealing it when it's at a dry point (or redry it again but slowly if need be and then seal it). Then ship it out. That should keep it from gaining moisture again in your state, and then keep it from cracking when it gets to the new location. I would think that might work. But I've never done something like that.
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Re: Boiling Bamboo?

Post by jd. »

terrabamboo wrote: Just trying to "stabilize" the piece of bamboo (one node in-tact, -not- drilled out). Think of a flower vase made from bamboo. What is happening is:

dry bamboo to a MC of 8% over several weeks -> in Mississippi climate it comes back to around 20% MC -> then it ships to Denver, CO and it cracks in a week because it dries out too quickly.
What treatment was used for those bamboo pieces?
terrabamboo wrote:I got the idea to boil as this is what bamboo flooring manufacturers do.
From INBAR, Bamboo Flooring Manufacturing Unit:

"[...] Bamboos are usually boiled for about 3-4 hours.

After being boiled all the bamboo sheets are piled up in the drying kiln (80 °C) for 4-5 days. If the sheets have been carbonised, they are removed when the moisture content reaches 14-25%. The moisture content of other dried sheets is reduced to 5-8%."
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Re: Boiling Bamboo?

Post by terrabamboo »

jd, what solution do you think is used? just water? water and lime? salt?
jd. wrote:
terrabamboo wrote: Just trying to "stabilize" the piece of bamboo (one node in-tact, -not- drilled out). Think of a flower vase made from bamboo. What is happening is:

dry bamboo to a MC of 8% over several weeks -> in Mississippi climate it comes back to around 20% MC -> then it ships to Denver, CO and it cracks in a week because it dries out too quickly.
What treatment was used for those bamboo pieces?
terrabamboo wrote:I got the idea to boil as this is what bamboo flooring manufacturers do.
From INBAR, Bamboo Flooring Manufacturing Unit:

"[...] Bamboos are usually boiled for about 3-4 hours.

After being boiled all the bamboo sheets are piled up in the drying kiln (80 °C) for 4-5 days. If the sheets have been carbonised, they are removed when the moisture content reaches 14-25%. The moisture content of other dried sheets is reduced to 5-8%."
Terra Bamboo
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jd.
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Re: Boiling Bamboo?

Post by jd. »

terrabamboo wrote:jd, what solution do you think is used? just water? water and lime? salt?
Besides applying heat, one of the objectives of boiling is to remove water-soluble compounds that would otherwise support microbial growth or insect attack. Plain water would serve this purpose. For flooring, they might also add some preservatives or insecticides to the boiling solution.

Also compared to flooring, intact round bamboo would require a more gentle drying process to avoid cracking.
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